Welcome Home, Zuru
by Kai loves Limes
Summary: Zuru's family life has gone to hell and his freinds try to help him through those times. But Zuru's having trouble keeping some secrets to himself that he doesn't want anyone to know, as well as keep himself sane.
1. Welcome Home

Welcome Home, Zuru

        Zuru shook his head slowly and so slightly as he sat at his desk. He didn't get a good nights sleep last night. Stupid Kam and his need toget him out of his grand plan of Kilobot domination. Well, at least his friends might cheer him up….

            " Metabee, give it back!!" Ikki roared while chasing the yellow Medabot in the room. " No way! You've pushed the big button this time, buddy!" Metabee said while standing on a desk near Zuru. 

     " Metabee! Get down from ther and get out of school! You know Mountain will kill us if he sees you!"

 " Well, that will be worth it!" 

   " METABEE!"

        Zuru sweatdroped. This wasn't what he had in mind at all…

  " Look, I told you, it wasn't my fault! Your special ordered parts got totaled in a car accident on the truck." Zuru's eyes widened. " Oh man…" he muttered. Him and Banjo were fighting in the street last night and made a large truck crash. 

    " I don't care! I want those part now!!"

 " Metabeeeee!!"

    " Um…" Zuru blinked. " What kind of parts were these?" he asked.

 " Some parts out of the Meda-World catalog," Ikki said.

  " Oh, I got some parts a few weeks ago…you could borrow some if you want…" Metabee's eyes lit up. " Really?"

 " Um, sure." Metabee jumped off the table and shook Zuru's hand in gratitude. " I love ya man!"

  " I didn't know you leaned that way, Metabee…" Ikki said out of the corner of his mouth. Metabee turned to glare at him. " We shall discuss this when you get home from school Mister!" Metabee said in a mother scolding way, then walked out of the classroom. 

   " That was, um, interesting…" Zuru commented quietly. " Ah, you'd think he actually a girl with his mood swings!" Zuru laughed a bit dryly at that. 

  " You know, I heard that you were behind the truck accident last night," Ikki said sourly. " I'd hurt you if you weren't my friend…"

   " Ikki, don't you think you're jumping to conclusions?" Zuru said while pulling out his notebook from his bag. " I mean, it was an accident…"

  " Ah, I wouldn't bet on that." Ikki plopped down in the seat next to Zuru. "You're always up to something!" Zuru inwardly sighed and slightly looked down, making the sunlight reflect off of his glasses. " Yup, I'm always up to something…" Ikki chuckled, then slapped Zuru on the arm. 

  " You know, you seem to change personalities when you become the Mystery Medafighter," Ikki commented while leaning back in his chair. " But you know, I prefer being with the normal Zuru Zora." Zuru looked up. " Probably 'cuz you're the nice guy of your two identities!"

      Later that day, Zuru walked home by himself, pondering about what Ikki said that morning. " Am I …really that terrible?" he asked himself. " Why does everyone hate me when I'm the Mystery Medafighter? I'm just trying to get rid of Kilobots…" He sighed while stopping in front of his house. He remembered when his mother would always bake him cookies after school when he was still little. Chocolate chip with little bits of peanuts melted in with them. Those were his favorites! 

   But now, since his father was so neglective and into his work, his mother started having fits and drinking. He swallowed. She wasn't too violent when she was drunk, but you better just avoid her all together or she'll do something bad if you accidentally say something or do something wrong.

   His father was the one you had to look out for the most though. These were some of the reasons why he didn't let his friends go to his house. It was too scary to think of what would happen.

   He went up to the porch, and quietly opened the door, then shut it behind him. His mom was more than likely asleep from a hangover.

  " Hi mom how was your day? Oh, mine? It was great. My friend actually hates me even though he doesn't know it's me he hates. Not to mention that I'm tired of this…" he said as though someone was there in the living room. He took a deep breath and shook his head, then quietly walked upstairs to his room. 

   " Master!" Roks greeted. " Shh! Mom might hear you," Zuru whispered. 

 " Oh, sorry. How was your day?" he asked as Zuru put his things on his desk. " As well as it can be expected…"

  " Then it wasn't that good then." Zuru sat on his bed. " Roks…I'm growing tired of all this…so tired…" He rubbed his temples. He lied on his back as Gorom2 took his book bag and put it away for the weekend. " I wish this was just a bad dream…"  
   Roks put a hand on Zuru's arm. " It'll be alright," he said softly. " You'll see. Things will get better." Zuru looked at his Medabot with slight smile. " Roks…"

 They then herd glass breaking downstairs followed by some yelling. Zuru sat up. " Oh man…" 

   " Will you just leave me alone, bitch?! I've had a long day!"

" You always have a damn long day! When the hell are you just going to quit?!"

" And stay around a spastic idiot like you more? Go to hell!"

   There was then some more glass breaking as well as a few thumps.

" I want a divorce!"

 " Fine, but I get Zuru!"

" WHAT?!" Zuru flinched.

 " You heard, woman!"

" I gave birth to that boy, and I'M going to keep him!"

" I wouldn't give a damn if a whore gave birth to him! No, wait, a whore did!"

     Zuru wrapped his arms around himself while biting his lower lip. A divorce?  Oh god, what would happen to him?

 " Master?" Gorom2 hovered close to the shaking boy. He looked up, looking scared. " A…divorce?" Even if he did hate his father, the memories of what he used to be still clung to his mind that he couldn't think of having his father out of his life for good. The same with his mother. It was any kids' worst nightmare.

    " I'm sure they don't mean it," Roks said quickly. The phone then started to ring. Zuru quickly lunged for the phone on his desk before it made a second ring. Hopefully his parents were too busy to notice it rung. 

   " Um, hello?"

  " Zuru, hey!" Came Ikki's voice. Zuru swallowed. " Hi, Ikki. What's up?"

 " Nothing much. I just wanted to know if--"

    " You're so incompetent! I don't know why I married you in the first place!"

 " –What was that?"

" Um…what was what?"

    " Well you won't have to worry about that after the divorce!!"

" That!"

" Oh…um…that's the TV…."

" Doesn't seem like a nice show."

 " I'd change it but, uh, I can't find the remote…"

   " I'll god damn kill you if you get custody over Zuru!" 

 " Zuru? What's going on there?"

 " Er…"

  " He's MY SON!!"  
" No, he's mine!!"

 " I can do whatever the hell I want with him!"

" As if!!"

" Zuru, are your parents arguing?"

 " I…uhh…."

 " What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

 There was a smash from downstairs.

 " I decided that I don't want any trace of this relationship! And that means getting rid of Zuru!"

  Zuru gasped. " Oh god!"

 " Zuru?! That's it! I'm coming over there!"

 " No, Ikki!"

 But Ikki already hung up. Zuru started to shake violently as he heard footsteps coming up the stairs. " Roks, Gorom2, hide..!" Zuru whispered. " No, Master!" Roks said. " Go! They'll kill you too!" the Medabot shook his head. " We're not leaving you." 

   The door then slammed open. His mother's hair was matted over her face messily as her eyes shone in drunken rage. Her pale hands grasped a large kitchen knife. " Zuru, come here…" she hissed through her teeth. Zuru whimpered while backing away. Roks and Gorom2 stood in her way. She looked at Roks. " The hell did this thing come from?!" She sputtered. 

   " I'm sorry, but I will not allow you to harm Zuru," Roks sternly stated. She laughed harshly. " Out of my way!" She then lunged towards Zuru, but Gorom2 knocked her into the other side of the room. " Master, get out of here, now!" Roks said. " But…"

  " We'll catch up with you later, just go!" Gorom2 was pinning down the enraged woman while Roks was guarding Zuru's back as he slowly walked to the door. Roks turned to him, eyes full of concern. " Go, please." Zuru stared at him for a moment, then nodded. He ran downstairs, past his father who yelled at him, and out the front door.

   " Zuru!" Ikki called from across the street as he and Metabee came over to his house. Zuru ran over to them, then stood there, shaking violently with wide scared eyes. " Zuru?" Ikki put a hand on the other boy's shoulder. Zuru flinched. " Zuru…what the hell did they do to you?" Zuru looked up at Ikki, choking back a sob. 

  " C'mon, let's get him outta here," Metabee said. Ikki nodded, then put an arm around Zuru's shoulders and led him away from his house. Zuru started to turn his head to look back, but then Ikki said, " Don't look back Zuru…" Zuru hesitated, then decided to listen to Ikki. He might take one look and run back inside to see of his Medabots were okay. He sniffled at the thought of what they were left in. He then started to cry as Ikki and Metabee guided them back to their house. 

    When they got there, Ikki had managed to calm him down a bit. Metabee went to tell him mom what had happened as Ikki led Zuru to the guest bedroom. 

 " You should get some sleep," Ikki said while tucking his friend under the covers. " If you need anything, just call, kay?" Zuru nodded. Ikki smiled. He then turned off the light, and quietly left.

     " Welcome home, Zuru…" Zuru muttered to himself like he did back when he got home from school. " Welcome home…"


	2. From the Inside Out

Welcome Home, Zuru

Chapter 2: From the Inside Out

    Zuru had fallen into a surprisingly peaceful slumber, despite what has happened to him earlier. It must have been because he cried quietly for a half hour before he finally dozed off. 

    Zuru groggily awoke on Saturday morning. He curled up into his sheets slightly, wanting to go back to sleep. He then jolted out of bed and looked around frantically. " Wha…!?" It then came to him; he was at Ikki's house. He relaxed, falling down back on the bed with a sigh. 

    " Roks….Gorom2…" he muttered. Did they get out of that house before his dad did anything? Did is father see Roks. Hopefully not, or that would make him even more mad at him.  

   He heard a light tapping on his door. He sat up, groping the nightstand for his glasses. " Um…" He put them on. " Come in." Metabee popped his head into the room. Zuru smiled. " Hi Metabee." 

   " Hey Zuru. Sleep well?" Zuru nodded. " That's good. Breakfast is ready if you want any." Zuru gave a little cough, after his emotional stressful day yesterday; the thought of food didn't much appeal to his upset stomach. " Um, that's alright, Metabee. I'm not that hungry…" 

   " You sure?" Zuru nodded. " Okay. Anything I can get ya?"

 " Some aspirin would be nice…" Zuru said while putting a hand on his forehead. Metabee gave a slight nod. " Okay. I'll get some for ya." He then exited the room. Zuru lowered himself back on the bed. His body felt so exhausted even though he didn't do anything rigorous. Guess that's stress for you. He lied on his side, frowning. It had to be a bad dream…it didn't feel authentic enough to be real.

    Could it?

~~~~~~~

   Zuru sat on the bottom steps that led to the playground from the street on top of the little hill while everyone was on the top. Ikki and Metabee were explaining what had happened at Zuru's yesterday, and that he was staying at their house. Zuru didn't really mind them telling everyone. At least, he didn't think anyway.

   " Oh my god!" Erika gasped while putting her hands to her mouth. " Poor Zuru…"

" Did his mom really try to kill him, Ikki?" Genkai asked skeptically. " That's what I heard over the phone. I'm not asking Zuru if it happened or not though, it's bad enough that his parents were fighting like that without the death threat." The others nodded.

   " That's true." Genkai looked down at Zuru. " …Maybe we should talk to him."

 " About what? What happened? Heck no!" Ikki stated as a final point. " I didn't mean that…just…talk." 

  " Oh. Yeah. Okay." 

    Zuru watched as little three year olds played in the sandbox with their bear type Medabot. To be that age again….The good old days.

   " Hey Zuru. What's up?" Zuru looked up to see the gang smiling at him. All of them smiling at the same time? That kinda scared Zuru. " Um…hello. Is there something wrong?" he asked.

    " No, why?"

 " You all look too…cheery…" everyone sweatdroped, then got their faces to what they normally are. " That's better." 

 " So Zuru," Genkai started. " Want to robattle?" Ikki glared at Genkai. Genkai didn't pay attention to it and was still looking at Zuru. 

  " Well, I would," Zuru began, " But…" He looked down. Ikki took this as an opportunity to smack Genkai. " Baka! WhatdidItellyouaboutwhathappenedyesterday!?" 

   " …Oh yeah. Sorry." Genkai rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. Zuru shrugged. " It's okay. I'm sure they made it out."

~~

      Later that day, Zuru wanted to just stay in the house and not do much. He was tired of everyone asking him questions, and he wanted to give Ikki a break from smacking people who asked. He yawned while flipping through the channels. Nothing on but soap operas. Might as well watch the news…

_    " In today's story, a domestic violence scene has taken place yesterday afternoon."_ Zuru blinked. The screen then showed some pictures of the inside of his home. One though, made him scream.

     He saw pieces of Gorom2 scattered about his room. He didn't see any sign of Roks though. He jumped off the couch, still staring at the screen. " ROKS! GOROM2!!" He screamed while clutching his fists. He then fell to the ground and started to sob uncontrollably. 

     ' It's all my fault,' he thought as tears splashed onto the carpet. ' If only I told them to leave with me…' 

~~

    Ikki and Metabee exchanged worried looks as they sat in Ikki's room, listening Zuru cry in the next room. " Man, that's gotta tear at his heart," Metabee muttered while shaking his head. 

  " Yeah. And they've been friends since he was little.." Ikki sighed. " Isn't there anything we can do for him?" Metabee shook his head. " I don't know. But I think he just needs to be alone for a while, Ikki." Ikki lied back into his bed. " Hey, do you think we should get him something to cheer him up?"

  " Like what?"

  " Maybe a new Medabot? Ya know, to start over." Metabee thought for a moment while rolling over to Ikki's bedside in the chair. " I dunno. But we shouldn't do that anytime soon." Ikki sat back up. " I know. But I feel so bad for him right now…"

   " Ikki?"

" Yeah?"

   " What would you do if something like that ever happened to me?" Ikki blinked. " I'd be very depressed, that's a no brainier!" 

 " That all?" Ikki shrugged. " I don't know. All I know that the very mention of it is making me sad." Ikki crossed his legs and looked at his Medabot solemnly. " But I do know I could never be able to replace you with any other Medabot. Heck, I wouldn't want another one if anything ever happened to you." Metabee's eyes started to water.

   " Awww, you're my best friend!" He then latched onto Ikki, making him stiffen. 

    They both then heard a yell from Zuru's room and then a large crash. They straitened up, then ran over to the other room.

" Zuru?!" Ikki slammed the door wide open, then screamed. " ZURU!!"


	3. Back Home, and No Medabots

^^; Okay, relax ppl! Here's the next chapter! Thanks for the reviews too! BTW **_Important_** **_note_**: I kind of re-written some parts of the story since I saw today's episode. (Just the parts concerning the Mystery Medafighter, nothing major.) This'll make things easier for me to write. ^^ 

~~

    The Mystery Medafighter ran through the streets as fast as he could. He didn't know where he was going, but he just wanted to get away from everything right now.

      Back when he was at Ikki's house, Zuru was sitting in his room, and feeling utterly miserable. He got so upset that he downed on the Mystery Medafighter outfit, smashed through the window and made a run for it. It wasn't a very smart move, since he nearly broke his legs when he jumped and cut himself in more than one place from the glass. 

    Now, he was just running. He soon stopped in front of his house. No one was around, and there was police tape all about the property. Checking again to make sure the close is clear, he sneaked inside from the back door. It was always open.  

    " They sure went mad, didn't they?" he said to himself as he heard up to his room, looking at an assortment of broken items here and there. He went into his room and saw the parts of Gorom2. He went over to his head part, and looked to see if the medal was in there. 

   He sighed. " Thank god…" It was empty, which meant that he was in the other body, and hopefully somewhere safe with Roks. He stood up, and took a quick look around. 

    " They have to have left some kind of clue for me here…" He flipped over his things and tried to find something that told him that they were somewhere he could find them. He started looking harder after checking his room the first time.

    He then gave up and slammed a fist on a wall. " Damnit!" he hissed through his teeth. 

" Something the matter, Zuru?"

   Zuru spun towards the door to see Kam standing in the hallway. " The hell do you want?!" Zuru spat. 

 " My, what a nice greeting. I just came by, since I knew you would try to find them…" Zuru took a step towards the smaller boy. " Did you do anything to them?!" Zuru hissed. " Because if you did…."

  " My, why would you think that?" Kam asked with that haunting smile. " I merely wanted to inform you that they are safe…" He then held up a piece of folded paper. " But, I'm afraid that they won't be for long…" Zuru growled in his throat. " Give me that," Zuru demanded. Kam held a corner of the paper with his thumb and forefinger. 

   " Where's the fun in that? You get the note, and you'll go and find your beloved Medabots…" He then looked to his side, and Blackbeetle appeared by his side. Zuru stiffened.

    " So,  I will make sure you do not follow me when I go to destroy them.."

" NO!" Zuru took a few more threatening steps towards Kam, but Blackbeetle held up her laser gun, making him stop. " I wouldn't move, if I were you," she threatened. 

   " So…going to kill me?" Kam blinked at Zuru innocently. " Kill you? Heavens no, why would I? You're not a Medabot…" He still had that smile plastered on his face. " But, you have Medabots…" He held up his free hand, and snapped his fingers. 

   Blackbettle fired a shot into Zuru's left leg. Zuru cried out in pain, then fell to the ground. He clutched at his leg while grinding his teeth. " D…damn you…!"

  " There, now you won't be able to follow us." Kam then turned to leave, but then paused at the door. "  Oh, and one more thing…I'll make sure to mail you the remains of their medals…" He laughed, then left with Blackbeetle. 

   Zuru struggled against the anguish to stand, but every time he even moved his left leg, he fell over in pain. " No…He can't…." He strained against the pain to stand. His leg wanted to give in badly, but he bit his lower lip, and started taking slow steps towards the door. The pain started to get worse, making him bite his lip harder and make it bleed. 

  " I won't…let…him…do this…!" He finally collapsed when he was at the head of the stairs. He pounded his fists in frustration on the ground. " No, no, NOOO!" He screamed while tears started to roll down his cheeks. " Why does this have to happen to me!?" 

     " Zuru!!" 

 Zuru's head shot up. Ikki and Metabee came running up the stairs. " The hell is wrong with you!?" Ikki yelled. " You could've killed yourself when you jumped out that window!!"   

  " Ikki, Kam's going to kill them…" Ikki and Metabee exchanged looks. " Who's he going to kill?" Ikki asked. Metabee gave a little yelp when he figured out who Zuru was talking about. " That jackass! Where's he going?" 

  " He…he just left…I don't…" Zuru looked down. " I don't know where he went…" Ikki licked his lips nervously. " Well, you can't help anyone by lying on the ground in self pity." Zuru glared at Ikki.

 " I'm INJURED, dumbass!" Ikki blinked, the saw a little spot of blood staining a section of his cape. " Shit!" Ikki then grabbed one of Zuru's arms, and hauled him up. " Metabee, go tell Miss Nae and Genkai to keep an eye out for Kam." Metabee nodded. " Will do!" Metabee ran downstairs.

  " And no more jumping out of windows!" Metabee called before exiting the house. Zuru gave a little shake of his head while smiling slightly. He then flinched as his leg was straitened out. Ikki frowned. 

  " Well, I guess I can try carrying you…" 

" Ikki, don't."

 " Ah, c'mon, what have you got to lose?"

" My life, that's what!" 

 " Oh shut up."  Before Zuru had a chance to protest further, Ikki placed an arm under his legs and lifted him up. " Ikki…" Zuru growled. 

 " Relax! I got ya!" Ikki strained to take the other boy down the stairs. " Er…no problem…."

 " Ikki, you're going to--" Ikki tripped and the both of them started tumbling down the stairs. Luckily, they weren't a lot of them. Zur ended up landing on his back on top of Ikki. 

  " Ow…" Zuru sat up and looked down at Ikki. " I TOLD you…"

 " Well, we're down here quicker than the other way!" Zuru sighed as Ikki got up and hauled Zuru to his feet. " What about Rocks and Tyrellbettle?" 

  " Metabee's going to tell the other's to keep an eye out for them. Someone's bound to see them," Ikki said. " But you got to go and get that leg fixed up!" 

 " But…"

" No buts! Geeze, you're as bad as Metabee!" Zuru looked down, making his hat cover his face. Ikki sighed. " Relax, we'll find them before Kam does, I promise."

  " I hope so…" Zuru muttered. " I hope so…"


	4. Slip Up

      Zuru bit his lip while looking at the map he and Ikki had lain out. The gang had spilt up into different groups, and started searching for any signs of Kam, since it would probably be impossibly to find his Medabots without that note.

    They had almost checked everywhere in town, and he started to get worried. 

" Hey, Zuru."

   Zuru jumped. He calmed down, realizing it was just Metabee. " Oh..uh, yes?" Metabee cocked an invisible eyebrow at him. " Geeze, calm down. Just wondering how we're doing with the search so far."

    Metabee and Zeru were the only one's in the house while everyone else was out searching. They both didn't like the idea of just sitting around, but someone had to keep an eye on Zuru and the phone in case they find them. Though they did have those vid screens to use.

      " We've basically searched everywhere, Metabee," Zuru sighed. " I'm starting to get scared…" Metabee put a hand on Zuru's shoulder. 

  " Relax, I'm sure they're fine, Zuru," he tried to reassure the boy. Zuru managed to smile weakly. " Thanks…"  Metabee nodded, then looked at the map. He studied it for a moment.

  " Er, Metabee?"

 " Mmm-hmm?"

 " What are you looking at?" Metabee looked up. " Oh, nothing…just looking at all the places I think they might be at…" Zuru blinked. " Where?" Metabee pointed to the Extreme Corp. building. Zuru looked at Metabee as though he was crazy. 

  " Why in the world would they go there?" Zuru asked. Metabee shrugged. " A wise Medabot once told me; the safest place to be is where your enemies lie." (A/N: Guess who told him that? ^^) 

   " Hmmm…" Zuru looked at the building for a moment. No one was near there, since they already checked that area. Zuru stood up. " Metabee, let's go." Metabee smiled. 

  " Finally!"

***

    " So, how are we going to get in?" Zuru pondered from across the street from their desired location. Metabee just started to walk towards to building. " We just go! They won't notice." 

  " But…er…" Zuru sighed in defeat, knowing that Metabee wasn't going to listen. " Wait up!" Zuru jogged after Metabee

       " Soo…uhh…. where do we go?" Zuru asked when they went into the elevator. Metabee shrugged. " Everywhere we can, I guess."

   " You're a real mastermind, Metabee."

 " Oh, shut up!" 

    The elevator bell dinged as they reached the highest floor. Start from the top, and work your way down in case of emergencies. What a nice policy. The doors slid open, and Zuru and Metabee's eyes widened as they both gave out little gasps. 

     " Why, hello there," Kam greeted as he and some bodyguards with guns stood in front of the door. " We were expecting you…"

   " Holy shit!" Metabee cursed. Zuru glared at Kam as the guns were pointed at them. 

  " Now, be good little boys, and come out of there. Well, that is, unless you've always wondered what it was like to have bullets rip through your skulls." 


End file.
